Every Database Leaks Sooner or Later

by bernt & torsten

A high-ranking official was dismissed from his position as Minister of Infrastructure following a data leak that led to a significant amount of sensitive information potentially being disclosed. The entire registry containing details on vaccinations of about seven million people may have been compromised. The leak emphasizes concerns about data privacy and the vulnerability of state data registries to breaches.

A healthcare agency consultant is currently being prosecuted for breach of confidentiality, suspected of revealing personal data on children who had received the Covid-19 vaccine. It's feared that the entire national vaccination registry, holding information about seven million people, may have been compromised.

The accused party denies any wrongdoing. His trial is set to shed light on guilt in breach of confidentiality cases. Nonetheless, it's clear that the leak did occur, showing how vulnerable a state is when its various registries are exposed. The healthcare agency's instance is not the first. In the past, a transportation agency faced a similar predicament. Information was made accessible to individuals abroad who were not security-checked, comprising highly sensitive and valuable data, proving interesting to hostile nations and criminal organizations.

There are also cases of health advice hotlines storing millions of patient calls on an unprotected web server. The country is rife with several registries, many of which can pose security risks if not managed properly. Plans are underway for a wealth registry to host extensive data on citizens' financial assets and debts. Although the information would be anonymized, the detail level would make it easier for extortionists, kidnappers, and robbers should there be a leak.

The tendency toward mass surveillance in the name of crime prevention presents another security challenge. Measures extend from chat control to covert eavesdropping on individuals not suspected of any criminal activities. In conclusion, all registries leak sooner or later.